Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has become a global ambassador for Save the Children.

The Portuguese player will front the charity’s Everyone New Born and Child Survival Campaign, a worldwide effort to prevent the deaths of infants from preventable diseases such as measles and diarrhoea. Ronaldo began his duties at the Globe Soccer event in Dubai on 28th and 29th December, where he hosted the “Champion for Children Initiative” charity auction. Along with the likes of Lionel Messi, Alessandro Del Piero and Iker Casillas, the 26-year-old donated a signed football shirt for the auction, which raised €37,000 for selected Save the Children campaigns.

Speaking after the auction, Ronaldo said: “I’m so proud to support Save the Children. I’m delighted at the funds raised during tonight’s auction and at the support of so many players from across so many different world class teams in making it such a success. This is the most important thing of tonight. I hope it’ll go a long way in stopping needless child deaths.”Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth added: “Child mortality is a major global issue with over seven million children dying before their fifth birthday every year. That’s why it’s incredible to have a figurehead like Cristiano Ronaldo at the helm of Save the Children’s Global Everyone Newborn and Child Survival Campaign.”

Forsyth also praised Ronaldo’s early contribution as an ambassador, saying that he had helped to raise “funds that will help us ensure that 7,000 children, and over 36,000 adults in Egypt have access to health and secure livelihoods.”

In August, Save the Children became the official charity partner of Premier League club Arsenal.

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